Many companies are interested in providing staff with an internal, personal, one to one contact who guides an individual’s career path. This is perhaps the generic perception of a mentor, an ‘older wise head’ who advises his or her younger colleague within a long term working, but non-line management, relationship.

Optimise helps organisations consider the style of mentors most suitable for their particular culture. If the subsequent discussion favours a more non-directive approach Optimise provides training for mentors to enhance these skills. It is important to ensure that the system of Mentoring reflects the aims of the initiative and sits comfortably alongside the existing management structure. Optimise encourages full debate of these primary concerns prior to designing a bespoke programme of training.

A workshop could include:

• Clarification of the Mentoring system being adapted

• Discussion of the role of Mentor

• Demonstration, practise and feedback on the core skills that are pre-requisites for effective Mentoring

• Developing a Mentoring relationship

• Structuring initial sessions

Whilst Optimise acknowledges the need for some companies to adopt the traditional concept of Mentoring, we believe that a more progressive approach serves to promote learning and development throughout the organisation by supporting and enabling individuals to solve their own problems. This demonstration of trust in individual ability can be productive not only for the Mentoring scheme but as a role model for general management.

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As one client describes "Mentoring is what we do, coaching is how we do it".